News digest 13 May 2013

News digest 13 May 2013

13 May 2013

Today’s digest opens with a harrowing story on the front page of the Daily Mirror of the real impact that Con-Dem cuts are having on ordinary people. It’s the story of Stephanie Bottrill who was unable to work due to a crippling illness and who was already struggling to survive before the bedroom tax came in. Sadly the bedroom tax proved to be the final straw as the 53-year old killed herself to avoid being plunged even further into poverty. It’s a damning indictment of the cuts for the poor coming from on high by out of touch Tories and their Lib Dem bag carriers while the only cuts the rich get are tax cuts leaving them more money.

And money is also possibly on its ways for disgraced ex-cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce who were both released from prison this morning. The one time Lib Dem leadership contender and his wife are expected to sign six-figure book deals to tell their stories, who says crime doesn’t pay?

And from one ex-Lib Dem to another as deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is under fire and looking to shore up his position with education secretary Michael Gove arguing that Clegg’s sudden opposition to the government’s childcare reforms is an attempt to secure his leadership which is under pressure again.

And Gove is also under fire for stirring up the row in government over the UK and the European Union, arguing that if there was a vote he would vote to leave, defence secretary Philip Hammond has also come out in favour of a UK exit and Cameron’s authority seems to be waning. Then again the fact that the government is minded to say that it is non-plussed over the fact that its own backbenchers are proposing to vote against the Queen’s speech shows how little power is left in Cameron’s less than capable hands. It looks like the Tory party will once again start to tear itself apart over the European question.

And that battle could gift Labour the election, although Labour leader Ed Miliband is not without advice in the papers today with Tom Newton Dunn in the Sun trying to sow trouble for the shadow chancellor arguing Balls should be replaced by Jon Cruddas while the Guardian tries to give a push to Lord Mandelson’s concerns on selection panel procedures, as ever if it concerns Mandelson just ignore it, more interesting is John Harris’ piece which looks at how Labour can deliver real change in 2015, while both the Lib Dems and Tories may self destruct in the near future, 2015 is still a long way away...